Out of all the male somatotypes, the body type mesomorph is a historical ideal. Here’s why that is and isn’t always true, along with insight into fashion and lifestyle!
I’ve definitely experienced a point in my life when I wished I was a mesomorph body type. Many men likely have. And this is likely so even if they have no idea what the different male somatotypes are.
Speaking to our core TMM audience, it goes hand-in-hand with wishing we were taller. Every body type has its pros and cons, by the way. So definitely own yours and be proud of it!
Still, if your goal is to build muscle, having a mesomorphic body is a blessing. It’s literally the prototype that comic book artists have historically used to design all of our classic superheroes.
But, an ectomorph might rest on his laurels since he’s naturally thin and fit-looking. Meanwhile, an endomorph may rest on his, as he’s naturally strong. So, you may be a mesomorph. You may, naturally or easily, achieve the look of a Roman god from the waist up.
There’s still a lot you should know when it comes to style, fitness, and nutrition. But first, so we’re all on the same page, what is a mesomorph body type exactly?
What Is a Mesomorph Body Type?
What Is a Mesomorph Body Type? Mesomorphs have naturally strong upper bodies and gain muscle mass easily. They tend to have broad shoulders, which often gives the look of the superhero-esque inverted triangle shape. I’ve also heard it lovingly referred to as the “Dorito chip shape.”
This means your shoulders and chest are wide. Then, as we go down towards your torso, it starts to thin out into a svelte waist. Most bodybuilders, especially in the ‘80s, have an intense version of this look.
Body Types Mesomorph: A Range
Mesomorphs can be both triangular and rectangular. The latter is the most common body shape overall since it also occurs among the thinner mesomorphs.
Since there’s so much strength up top, though, there tends to always be a slight triangulation in a mesomorph’s silhouette.
They have natural muscle mass and can gain even more on top of that quite easily. Out of all of the body types, this is the most versatile when it comes to body compositions.
You don’t gain fat easily but aren’t as immune to it as an ectomorph.
Since it’s easy to bulk up, though, a mesomorph can often look shorter than they are. Of course, if you’re over six feet, you’ll never look short, no matter what you do.
But, if you go overboard on the top-half broadening, the ratio to your length and width gets smaller. As always, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with looking short. But, if this is a concern to you, it’s important to consider this ratio.
It’s the literal and exact opposite of how being incredibly thin creates a visual elongation.
Age and Metabolism
And predictably, as you get older, your metabolism may slow down if you’re not training it properly. That being the case, you may continue to build muscle relatively easily, but your ability to build fat may catch up.
You’ll still look big and strong, but perhaps not as defined. A young mesomorph with a highly active metabolism may look a bit like a cut ectomorph. Meanwhile, a mesomorph with a slower metabolism who doesn’t watch his diet may start to look like a triangular or rectangular mesomorph.
Of course, neither are bad things when it comes to looks. It’s just a matter of ensuring you’re at your healthiest self at every age and stage of your life.
And speaking of looks, many mesomorphs might have a perpetual “beach bod.” Still, looking good shirtless doesn’t always translate when you put a piece of clothing on.
In fact, for some, the latter is difficult to do when you have such a dramatically cut silhouette. It may very well be easier for a mesomorph to look better shirtless — which isn’t always appropriate, suffice it to say.
As such, let’s go over how to dress a mesomorph next.
How To Dress a Mesomorph
I know it’s the case for every body type to say you should find clothes that highlight your best features. However, mesomorphs have such dynamic silhouettes from every angle. Dressing a healthy, fit male mesomorph is the guy equivalent of dressing a curvy lady with a small waist.
What I mean by this is that clothes can do one of two unflattering things for them.
First, they can hide your body. A shirt that isn’t properly fitted might sit on your strong chest that juts out. Then, from there, it might hang in a straight line, making it seem as if your stomach juts out as much.
Second, an overly tight garment can make you look like you’re about to burst out of it. This is, as the French say, an arguably gauche look.
Clothes Buying Tips for Mesomorphs
So, tailoring is particularly more important for a mesomorph than an ectomorph. For example, for a pair of trousers, you may need to size up so that they aren’t squeezing your seat and thighs. Then, you can have the waist altered since a fit, traditional mesomorph wanes in broadness in that area.
Don’t wear baggy clothing, and don’t wear skinny clothing. Straight cuts are perfect for pants, while jackets that stop at the hips are your friend.
And speaking of jackets, you definitely don’t need any padding in your blazers and suit jackets.
Similar to your pants, you may need to size up with your shirts and jackets, then have them altered to ensure it follows the line from your chest to torso. This way, your shoulders are properly fitted without them creating a boxy shape to your clothes.
Buying a Suit as a Mesomorph
The biggest challenge for a mesomorph is buying a suit. Most of the separates are paired in a way that either the jacket is too tight and the trousers are too big. Or vice versa. There’s almost no way to get around custom tailoring unless you can buy separates, well, separately.
And naturally, fit is best on a healthy body. So, let’s go over the mesomorph body type diets, fitness goals, and overall lifestyle.
Mesomorph Body Type Diet and Exercise
Mesomorphs, as I mentioned, are highly versatile. They gain visual strength on their bodies easily, and most of it is often muscle. Depending on their diet, with muscle may come fat, but a typical mesomorph will have more of the former.
On the reverse, they lose weight as easily as they can gain it. So, you can go for a lean but muscular swimmer’s or dancer’s body. Or, you can go for a large and ripped powerlifter’s body — again, the stereotypical Superman build.
Your body is receptive to strength training and resistance, as well as aerobic exercise. So, if you want to be leaner, do more aerobics and cardio, and if you want to be bigger, go for resistance.
And, of course, since mesomorphs are muscle-forward, protein is really important no matter what your goals are.
Make sure to mix it up. Chicken breast, broccoli, and avocado for dinner every night would yield consistent results for other body types. But, in my opinion, mesomorphs need variety. Consider lamb, turkey, fish, shellfish, yogurt, beans, and eggs.
Thanks to the mesomorph’s versatility, this body type is great for most sports. This is especially so for bodybuilding, weight lifting, boxing, gymnastics, and other power sports that are endurance-focused.
Mesomorph Body Types Aren’t Always All They’re Cut Out To Be
The biggest challenge when it comes to exercise is the tendency to plateau. If you overtrain on a particular exercise, your body might stop responding to it as effectively. Basically, mesomorph bodies have a short attention span.
As such, circuit workouts and variety in both exercise and diet are key. Of course, when you have a mission, eating to live (instead of living to eat) and routine are the easiest routes. Unfortunately, this can be ineffective if you’re trying to get huge or significantly lean or if you’re fighting an aging metabolism.
Thanks to internet fitness influencers, I likely don’t have to tell you not to skip leg day.
A myth I’ve heard floating around is that mesomorph body types are conducive to big arms, shoulders, and chests but small legs. Think Popeye or Johnny Bravo.
This isn’t actually true. Remember, mesomorphs easily build muscle anywhere. For a long time, fitness culture for men just focused on the upper body.
Growing up in the aughts, I remember benching being the main measure of strength. Now, it’s squats. Make sure you do both.
Male Mesomorph Celebrities
Here are some mesomorph celebrities for reference.
- Chris Hemsworth
- Mark Walhberg
- Zac Efron
- Rob Gronkowski
- Michael B. Jordan
- Henry Cavill
- Jason Momoa
- Dwayne Johnson
The interesting thing about looking at famous mesomorphs, compared to other body types, is they don’t range as much. Sure, some are taller, and some are shorter.
But ectomorph celebrities can be as super slender as Timothee Chalamet and as cut as Liam Hemsworth. Endomorphs can be as muscular as Chris Pratt and as stocky as Russel Crowe.
The lack of variety among mesomorphs is likely because they’re often chosen for movie parts because of their natural build. Henry Cavill, for example, was cast to literally play Superman. So they usually have to lean hard into the superhero build.
The best way to see a range of mesomorphs is to look at one celebrity, say Zac Efron or Michael B. Jordan. See how different their bodies can look when they’re younger and just starting out to when they become stars.
Yes, bodies change as you grow, but even Efron and Jordan beefed up by huge factors just between their late teens and early 20s.
Conclusion: The Most Versatile Body Type
The male mesomorph body type was considered the ideal type for a long time. Again, it’s still a go-to in graphic art when depicting a hero or a strong man.
This has changed a bit. And there’s no such thing as an ideal type, really. By the way don’t mistake the “ideal type” with the reality of an objectively healthy body, which does exist.
However, if you want to build muscle fast or lose weight fast, being a mesomorph helps. You can train your body for swimming or for weightlifting.
It may not be the easiest body type for fashion, or if you’d rather have a consistent workout or nutritional approach. But, there’s a reason people have admired it for so long!
Are you a mesomorph body type? Tell me about your experiences in fashion, as well as in diet and exercise! Let’s start a conversation in the comments!
www.themodestman.com
